Things Change: A Tale of Moving On : Oneshot
by Cant.Resist
Summary: Lydia Winchester never pictured how in two years things would change, from living at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix with her father's friend Sirius, later becoming her good friend, to the mature wanting of her professor. She could see passed the phony, dark exterior he always wore and embraced the kind soul that mourned for redemption.


**I did want to say the inspiration for this oneshot was from someone off of Quizilla, a long, long time ago. I just happen to rifle through some old papers and found an email with specifics asking of oneshot with these characters, and most of these specific relationships. If I had completed this when they had ask, this would probably have an entirely different plot. I reworked and finished this in hopes maybe they would see this was finally done. Sorry for the wait!**

* * *

He smiled, the tenderness of her lips gave him a warmth he hadn't felt it such a long time. He never wanted this feeling to leave, it was so new, so exciting. How good she felt in his hands, she swooned underneath his embrace.

"Severus." She moaned, her cheeks flushed, her breath slightly labored. Her arousal encouraged his own, the tightness in his trousers was increasingly intensifying.

"Lydia." Severus wheezed out her name in small uneven breaths. He couldn't fathom anything other than the pleasure radiating from his own body. She was very talented with her hands, which had just slipped beneath his robes. Confusion filled her face, when he abruptly pulled away from her grasp.

"Does that not feel good? I didn't mean to hurt you." She tried to touch Severus again, but he pulled from her again.

"This isn't right Lydia, I'm much too," Severus paused trying to clear his head, "this is inappropriate." This angered the teenager, he didn't understand.

"I don't care about age or appropriateness of our actions! It's not wrong Severus! Can't you feel it?" He could feel the pounding in her chest, her emotions were running high, as was his.

"What if we're caught, most people wouldn't hesitate to hex me, and most of the older staff would be glad to do so."

"I told you I don't care!" Desperation filled her eyes, she immediately thought of the worse. "Do you not want me anymore?"

"That's not what I'm saying. Please don't take this too hard." She pulled Severus close, he tried to tense under her hold, but he couldn't bring himself to.

"Severus, I'm the other one who knows your true intentions. How good of a person you really are, please. Just please don't push me away. You don't know how much time we actually have together, let's spend it not fighting."

"But, Lydia." Her pleading look silence him. He knew not to push his luck or overstep anymore boundaries. Lydia was strong headed for her age, she hardly would bend her will for anyone, not even Severus. When she wanted something, she was bound determine to get it.

"I will always fight for you Severus, please don't forget." Knocking, could be heard in the distance, both of them sighed. Their time was cut quite short, Minerva always vigilant over the students in her house, Gryffindor.

"I'm going to have to answer that." Severus murmured.

"I wish you didn't have to." Lydia whispered as she let go of him. She straightened her robes and retrieved her forgotten things. She grabbed her faked lines and waited behind the door. Lydia hated this next part, she hated the lying, just as much as the disdain she could feel the other professors had for Severus, only if they knew.

"Evening, Snape."

"Minerva." Severus coolly replied. The harbored dislike in her voice was not unfamiliar to Severus, he learned to push it aside as he did in his youth.

"I'm missing a student of my house, and seeing as the Carrows are doing patrols tonight, I find it prudent to locate her before they do."

"Miss Winchester I presume?"

"Yes, have you seen her?" Severus held the door open wider, revealing Lydia with a handful of parchment.

"She has been run lines for me, for the past few hours."

"Lines for what?" Minerva, cold as ever. Her mothering instincts were in overdrive. She took Lydia's safety personally. Severus ripped the parchment from Lydia's hands and handed them to the other professor.

"Roaming the grounds late at night." Minerva pulled Lydia from the room, pushing her student behind her.

"Why wasn't she brought to my attention? She is in my house Severus."

"I didn't want to stir anyone for something as simple as running lines. Miss Winchester cannot be running around all hours of the night without an escort."

"Which I could of handled. This isn't as severe that the _headmaster_ must need to interfere."

"I may do whatever I please as headmaster. If I feel the need to personally watch over a student than I will."

"A student that is in my charge."

"Every student is my responsibility."

"Then you better take notice of the rest as well." Minerva pulled Lydia away from Severus, who gave him a reassuring look. Severus stared down at the floor. Lydia hated the fact he had to be silent, how he only had to suffer in the quiet. If everyone knew, they wouldn't spit his name as if it was beneath them. They would praise him for the deeds he's done, and the deeds he was still doing despite facing adversity. Minerva was muttering to herself, spewing things Lydia rather of not heard.

"Can you stop talking about Severus that way?" Professor McGonagall stopped, it was the first time Lydia had spoken, and it was in defense of…Snape?

"I don't think I heard you right, Miss Winchester?" She ripped her arm from the professor's grasp.

"You heard me right. He's done nothing wrong. Leave him alone."

"Miss Winchester, I…" Lydia shot her hands up, they had reached the entrance of the Gryffindor common room.

"He is your superior whether you like it or not ma'am. Professionalism would be appreciated."

"All courtesies extended towards the _current headmaster_ , died with man he murdered."

* * *

"No, no." Lydia was digging through her trunk again. This couldn't be happening at a moment like this. She was struggling to accept the circumstances as it was, now things got too real too fast. Her hands kept fumbling as she tried to pour the correct amount of liquid. Lydia paused for a moment, "just breathe." She cursed her nerves, she should have been composed than she was right now. She paced back and forth waiting for the results. At last the potion simmered to a light teal color, dashing Lydia's last hopes, "Bloody hell." She couldn't bring herself to lift her head from her hands, what was she to do? Where was Sirius when she needed to him? It's not like he could rise from the dead to comfort her. Lydia missed him dearly, Sirius had been the closest thing Lydia had to a best friend. Lydia had always aligned herself with older adults, as long as she could remember. Both her parents gone, her mother, Anna Winchester, through childbirth, her father, Joseph Vague, in the first war. She craved the attention she received from adults, the chance to be not treated as a petulant child, but a woman who had her own thoughts and belief systems. She and Sirius were compatible on several levels. They had similar animagus forms, his a mangy black mutt and hers a refined German shepherd, she could have been mistaken for someone's pet in that form. Both were so called pureblooded, but it didn't matter, it never should have. Both we had survive their own personal hells, which the Order had relieve her of after her fourth year. Deatheaters had disseminated the group home that she had been staying at. She and Sirius had a bit of a mischievous side, keeping the Order on the lookout for their customary tomfoolery.

" _I'm so sorry sir, I never meant…" Severus had silenced her with the simple gesture of raising his hand. He was not amused with the antics played at headquarters. He would have preferred to been hexed rather than be bombed with a gooey, substance. It was the consistency of mucus, which made his stomach crawl. Dumbledore surely would get an ear full from him if… why was this girl staring at him?_

" _Yes?" A blush graced her cheeks, and she turned her back from him. That was different._

" _Ah, Severus, I believe you have met headquarters' newest houseguest." Albus chuckled, seeing Severus bewildered was mildly entertaining. Severus turned again, the girl was gone. "Lydia certainly knows how to lighten the mood. Come Severus, we have things to discuss." Lydia peered from the staircase, she had retreated there when the man, Severus, had his back turned. Something about the man had peaked her interest, but she knew nothing about him, nothing at all about this Severus._

Her first meeting was Severus had marked the day of her crush on the older man. But she didn't feel the gap, with Severus or Sirius. She felt that she was more on their level than anyone could realize. Perhaps she was born at the wrong time in life, maybe she was meant to be born around the era her own parents had grown up in. She probably would have fought along them in the first war, which she wanted to do this time around, but Sirius had been against the idea from the start. He always pushed her to start a life, normal one.

" _And I can't help to make it any easier?" Sirius sighed._

" _Lydia, there will be a time and a place where we will have to prove ourselves; unfortunately it will be on a battlefield. But not for years to come. For now, enjoy life. Find someone that makes you happy." Sirius grinned excitedly. As far as Lydia could remember, he has always taunted her about boys, but there was only one that truly could make her smile, Severus Snape._

" _Maybe one day, Sirius." She smiled._

Sirius had hoped that she had taken an interest into some of boys in her age range, any of the Wealseys were worthy of his judgment. They were some of the few good friends she had near her age, but they were still missing something that she sought for. Others her age has shown some interest, Harry early on, even the unlikely of characters, such as Draco Malfoy. Draco had become an extraordinary friend despite the blood bigotry and tension between the opposing houses. Lydia could always see a good in Draco that he himself tried to deny seeing, much like her love, Severus.

"Lydia?" She turned so fast, it could have been super human. She should have heard someone coming up the stairs. Almost no one stayed in the Gryffindor common room or house anymore, most students of the other houses hid in the room of requirement. She thought she was safe from wandering eyes.

"Hey Ginny." Just smile, she didn't want to act more suspicious than the situation already was.

"Is that what I think it is?" Lydia returned to her previous position, not wanting to face her reality.

"Yes." The word hurt leaving her lips, she had accepted her fate.

"Does he know?" Lydia heart burned.

"No."

"You must tell him." Tears sprung from Lydia's eyes, how was she going to break the news to Severus?

"But he doesn't go here Ginny, I would need help contacting him."

"Maybe McGonagall?"

"NO." Lydia snapped, she had very little patience for the head of her house.

"Then who?"

"I know someone." Lydia heaved a sigh, she would go straight to who she needed to see. Ginny squeezed her hand for moral support, but did not follow, this was something Lydia needed to do. She never would have guess she would have been in this position, especially in for front of war. Lydia seemed to have impeccable timing for things. In the past two years, she would have never fathomed she would be where she was now. Severus's mutual interest had blazoned Lydia's moves, her advances were bolder than she would have tried previously.

" _Lydia Winchester, great looking, talented and has an ideal bloodline."_

" _But terribly lost." Draco stated._

" _What do you mean by that?" Flint asked. Draco rolled his eyes, of course his fellow Slytherin was only focused on shallow things, such as looks. Lydia was mesmerizing to many: her healthy physique, bright eyes and raven mane made her a constant target of others envy._

" _Never mind." The two slytherins watched the fifth year Gryffindor mope upon the stone fountain._

" _I heard she has been there all day, staring at nothing."_

" _She's been like that since Potter and his band of blood traitors fled to the ministry." Draco angrily announced. Their trip to the department of Mysteries cost his father his freedom and disgraced the Malfoy name. His mother and him were no longer held in high regards within the ministry, the elite or even other deatheaters. They were shamed for Lucius's failure. But Draco didn't hold it against Lydia, she in turn was fighting the repercussions of the encounter as well._

" _Maybe I should go and cheer her up." Flint declared, Draco rolled his eyes. As if he was worthy of even talking to her, let alone trying to hit on her at such an inappropriate time. Before Draco could retort, Snape had snuck up upon them._

" _What are two gentlemen such as yourselves, spying on the young woman outside?"_

" _Thinking about cheering her up professor." Flint declared. Draco just glared at Flint._

" _We're just leaving." Draco dragged Flint in the other direction; Snape stared them down until they left his sight. He couldn't help but be curious at what the young woman was mauling over. - - -_

" _I'm not talking about this anymore Lydia, end of discussion." I chased after Sirius, this conversation wasn't over with._

" _Sirius, don't walk away from me. We're going to talk about this." He turned on his heel facing me again._

" _Lydia, it is too DANGEROUS. This is war, not some game. You could lose your life. I have lost all but a couple of my friends in the first war, including your father, do you really want to take that chance?"_

" _Yes, Sirius, I understand. I know I could possibly die, but I want to be fighting with Harry in the end."_

" _You could also be doing that without being in the line of fire, Lydia." I huffed._

" _Harry several months younger than me, and he can fight, but I can't?" Sirius hugged me, even though I tried to pull away._

" _If I had my choice, Harry wouldn't be either, he is my god son. But I can't get in the way of his destiny. As prophecy was foretold he is the one that is going to put an end to this reign of terror." - - -_

 _Suddenly Severus was pulled from the memory. Confused from the sudden rejection, he turned towards the fountain outside. She was GONE. Before he could do anything, she was there in front of him. He was too stunned to speak. How could he possibly explain for invading her thoughts? Even with the sad, empty look in her eyes, she smiled at him._

" _It's okay, Severus." He backed away clearly shocked. How did she know?_

" _Miss Winchester…" She was gone once again. Severus began to rub his temple in frustration. Had he just imagined getting caught by this beautiful creature? He shook his head, beautiful creature? She was just another one of his students, and that was it. Wasn't it?_

* * *

"Are you okay Severus?" Lydia finally had broken down, telling Severus everything. He had stayed silent during her rambling, no indication of his feelings on the subject. When he turned from her, pinching the bridge of his nose, she could tell he was stressed. It was his only tick, visible flaw, which she found Severus's stone stature to have. People could see when his frustration was at its tipping point.

"Honestly Lydia, I'm not sure how to respond." She knew that the news was overwhelming, but his unintentional words hurt. She had a small hope that he would have a better reaction than herself, maybe he would have a solution to remedy the situation.

"I understand," Lydia hiccupped, trying to keep her composure, "I don't have a clue how we should proceed from here."

"We? I'm the monster who preyed on his student. A professor impregnating his student, it sounds as ridiculously bad as the soap operas my mother watched when I was young." She clasped his hands, finally getting him to look at her for the first time since she started her story.

"Severus you obviously didn't do this yourself. It's physically impossible. Stop trying to blame yourself. We need to think about more than ourselves right now."

"Lydia I haven't been entirely truthful."

"Truthful about what Severus?" She barely could finish her question, what had he been hiding? She thought he had divulged everything, and all this time he had been keeping something from her. She fully invested herself, while he kept something back. It burned her deeply.

"I don't think I'll make out of this alive." Lydia gasped, choking back the shock. Severus pulled her close, guilt resonating in his features. "I know this, us, was selfish. Ever since Dumbledore had implored me to finish this mission, I knew there was a chance I wouldn't walk away."

"Why didn't you tell me Severus? This definitely hurts way worse than anything I could have thought of. I thought we would be together. I dreamed of a life together, not fearing of people's opinions. The day when everyone would understand the truth."

"I didn't want to rip it from you. There's a chance, but it's highly unlikely."

"What am I to do without you? I'm scared Severus, I'm really scared."

"Hide Lydia. Protect yourself in hopes of my return."

"What if you don't?"

"Then move on, move forward."

"I can't Severus, you're asking too much."

"This is what you are going to have to do. Stay here and hide. I have to call all the students to the Great Hall."

"Why, what's going on?"

"Harry Potter was spotted in Hogsmeade. It's only a matter of time before he reaches the castle."

"So, let Harry roam around. There must be a reason he's coming back."

"There is, but I need to find him."

"Find him, and what?"

"Harry must be told something, something when the dark lord is at his most vulnerable."

"But Severus?" He shot red sparks from his wand, sending a message to the heads of the houses.

"Listen to me Lydia. Stay here and hide. I will try to put as much protection as I can on the room, you mustn't let anyone in the room except for Harry. Do you understand?"

"Why would Harry come here of all places?" He pulled Lydia close, knowing very well this was probably their last moment together.

"Just wait here."

"Try to come back Severus."

"I will try everything in my power."

"That's all I ask."

* * *

"Harry, Harry!" Lydia was crying, he wouldn't stop choking. He violently dejected from the pensieve.

"Lydia?"

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know. Have you been here the whole time?"

"Harry, is... is he dead?" Harry nodded his head slowly, Lydia was crushed.

"Lydia, I'm so sorry. There was nothing he could do without jeopardizing someone else's safety. He tried."

"That's all I asked." Harry went silent. Lydia hugged him, feeling guilt herself for throwing a pity party. The news Harry just received wasn't good and she was sitting over here crying about still being alive. She was a terrible human being. "I'm sorry Harry. I wish this didn't have to end like this."

"Me too." He stared passed her, in deep thought. "You need to tell someone, Ron or Hermonie. Anybody that could help you."

"Don't worry about me. I'll make it, or meet Severus trying."

"I know. Be strong." He smiled weakly, slipping out of her embrace. "This is goodbye, I guess." Lydia smiled, gently touching Harry's cheek.

"No Harry, this is see you later."

* * *

"Did you get her to come?" Lydia asked, she was exhausted but excited. Hermonie shook her head, Lydia couldn't help but smile. The trio had come through for her, just as they had for the last 6 months. She finally had her babies, yes babies, as in plural. She was blessed with a son and a daughter, respectively, Stephen Snape and Louise Snape. "Can you send her in?"

"Yes, hold on one minute."

"Hermonie, I have nothing to hold onto!" Her friend waved off her sarcastic remark. After a moment of silence the hospital door creaked open, light footsteps could be heard approaching.

"Miss Winchester?"

"Ms. Pince, thank you for coming." Lydia gestured to the seat beside her bed. "Please have a seat." Lydia watched the older woman look back and forth across the room, nervously waiting.

"I'm not really sure why I was summoned to meet you here, of all places. I have books and the library to attend to before…" Lydia smiled as the older woman again trailed off.

"I brought you here to meet your grandchildren." Ms. Pince quickly stood, backing up a few paces.

"I'm not sure what you are talking about, I don't have any children." Lydia was met with a familiar look, stone silence. Lydia waved for the nurse to roll the babies in from the adjacent room.

"I would like you to meet, Stephen and Louise." A smile cracked under the stone exterior, Ms. Pince did have a soft spot for small children.

"They are good looking babies, very healthy and happy."

"Yes, I think they take after their father, Severus." The initial shock had finally came out.

"Severus?"

"Yes, Severus Snape, your son."

"I think your mistaken Miss Winchester, I'm just a…"

"If that was the truth, why did you come here today?"

"I admit, I was curious to see what my presence was wanted outside of Hogwarts."

"Severus never let it slip that he was seeing someone? Someone inside the castle?"

"No, no. He would never have discussed matters like that with his…"

"Mother?" Ms. Pince, turned away tears stinging her eyes.

"How did you figure it out? Did Severus tell you?" Lydia grabbed her hand, smiling.

"Fun story, actually. I told Severus one day about my theory and he tried to change the subject faster than I've ever have seen. I knew something was there, I just had to keep them to myself."

"He was still trying to protect me, after all these years."

"Don't cry. Severus wouldn't have wanted that."

"I suppose not, he probably saw more of my tears than he would have liked."

"Well I know what will dry your eyes."

"What?"

"Letting the twin's grandmother hold them." She slowly nodded her head.

"I think I would like that."


End file.
